It's music, music, music

Retired local musician had career that spanned 43 years, 27 bands.

Retired local musician had career that spanned 43 years, 27 bands.

December 16, 2005|JIM MEENAN Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND Jerry Grontkowski's got a roomful of memories that he happily looks back on as he sits at the kitchen table in his south-side home. The names and stories spill out of his mouth like numbers from a phone book they are so plentiful. Now, 67, and two years into "musical retirement," he looks back, not really wondering what might have been, but for the most part celebrating what was. The man who got his start singing at St. Adalbert's in grade school and playing a trumpet his father, Walter, bought from a door-to-door salesman, recalls the good-old days fondly. It all started ---- professionally anyway ---- at age 19. The man with the trumpet, drums and vocals left high school bands and glee clubs behind, not to mention polka bands on the west side for a walk on the fun and perhaps more challenging side. Known as Jerry Grant on stage, he played first with Carl Simpson and the Mixers, a band so named because of its diversity. "We were the hottest band in town and we were playing in the Midtown Cafe," recalled Grontkowski. From there, his career of 43 years saw him participate in 26 more bands. The most memorable were the Gene Van Trio (13 years), the Buddy Kay and the Dynamics (four years) and the Mike Vaszari Combo. "Others are loud and play what they play, but he (Grontkowski) complements the group," Van recalled. "It was a good era. We had a good 13 years together." Grontkowski sustained that career, which saw him work first six nights a week for four years, and then three nights per week thereafter with various careers, including nine years in photographic retail, as well as various sales and other jobs before ending with 11 years working security at the University of Notre Dame. The day jobs allowed him to spend the nights entertaining. "It was amazing for me graduating from the west side and polka music to being at Shula's Night Club in Niles, Michigan, playing six nights a week," he said of the early days. "That was the Mecca of great entertainers commuting from Motown (Detroit) to Chitown (Chicago). "They would have a stay-over for two to three nights at Shula's and we were the house band." He met the likes of Louie Armstrong, Buddy Rich, Stan Kenton and even Count Basie along the way. "It was fantastic," he said of working with bands that played blues, jazz, rock and more. "You name everything I have done it. "It was my life." It included cutting a few records with Simpson, none of which made it big. He also passed on a chance to go bigger and play out East as well as Las Vegas with a band whose plan was to resurrect the Spike Jones era with horns and washboards. After that brief flirtation, the father of three with wife Carol, turned his attention to South Bend area at the request of his mother on her death bed. "You are playing with Van, country clubs, private clubs, the way you are playing," she told him. He had also entertained the likes of sports legends Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Notre Dame coach Ara Parseghian and countless Irish greats. "She said, 'you got it all,'" he recalled adding he was also making a decent living at Schilling's in retail photography. "She said, 'why do you want to go over there (out East). "I promised mother I was going to stay in town." And he doesn't regret it. "There was a lot of dinner jackets, splash, a lot of show tunes, a lot of jazz, a lot of rock, celebrities," he said, looking back. It was all fun, he added, and playing in 27 different bands was not bad either. "Just the different people, the change of atmosphere," he said. His wife of 46 years, Carol, met him when he and the Gene Van Trio were entertaining at Culver's Resort in Edwardsburg. She, too, has enjoyed the ride. "It's been fun being in the musician world because we have met a lot of people and even his fellow musicians have been great to the wives," she said. "When the children were little, I stayed at home on the weekends with them, but when I got older, I was able to follow the different bands (he was in)." Her biggest thrill on the night club scene with Jerry was when they went dancing at Shula's when Louie Armstrong was playing. His trombone man complimented her and Jerry on their dancing, calling them the best dancers in the house. "And Louie said, 'yeah man!'" she recalled with a smile. Jerry has no trouble smiling either as he looks back, two years removed and not playing much due to a battle with carpal tunnel syndrome. "I am totally happy because God gave me the talent, the voice and the musical ability," he said. "Not only playing and entertaining the average hard workers but the celebrities as well." It was a fun ride.Staff writer Jim Meenan: jmeenan@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6342